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LETTER 



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LETTER OF BOARD OF TRADE AND EXCHANGE OF 
PENSACOLA, FLA. 



Board of Trade and Exchange, 

Pensacola, Fla., Atigust 15, 1889. 

Dear Sir : We have duly received your circular letter dated 
June 17, 1880, inclosing copy of act of Congress approved May 
24, 1888, authorizing the President of the United States to ar- 
range a conference between the United States of America and 
the Republics of Mexico, Central and South America, Hayti, 
San Domingo, and the Empire of Brazil. 

And we note your desire that the several boards of trade in 
our country may furnish all the information and suggestions 
as may occur to them upon the consideration of the subjects 
referred to. 

As the Board of Trade and Exchange of our city feel an 
earnest interest in the gravity of the questions that will arise 
at the conference to be held in nest October, we do not hesitate 
to reply to the request stated in your communication. And 
we do this the more readily as our deep-water port, situated 
on the Gulf of Mexico, has a direct interest in the results of the 
conference in question. 

We find on careful examination of the report of the Com- 
mission appointed under the act of Congress approved July 7, 
1884: 

To ascertain and report apon the best modes of securing more intimate 
international and commercial relations between the United States and the 
several countries of Central and South America. 

In this report we find a weight of evidence that demonstrates 
the importance to our country of the trade of South and Cen- 
tral American nations ; and the report also points out the rea- 
sons why we do not have the trade, and suggests means to se- 
cure same. 

The valuable and instructive report of the Commission can 
not be too highly studied in the consideration of the subjects 

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to come before the coming conference, and, as a board of trade, 
we fully concur in and can not improve on the force of the facts 
stated in their able report. 

What we want is direct and regular steam communication 
with the countries of South America and islands south of our 
country ; 

Simplification and modification of customs regulations with 
these countries ; 

A system of banking connections and a common standard of 
value. 

It is needless to i^oint to the volume of imports into these 
countries, amounting to many millions of dollars, and of which 
we only send about 10 per cent. ; and even of this we transport 
part to European ports to be forwarded in their ships to final 
destination. 

Our consular reports tell us that the countries whose rep- 
resentatives we are to meet at Washington in October are by 
the policy of their Governments decidedly favox'able to us, look- 
ing up to our Government as a model ; and that the people pre- 
fer our goods to other nations, and are only prevented from 
being our customers by the obstacles offered by want of com- 
munication and the absence of the facilities which European 
nations eagerly extend to them. 

The conclusions we arrive at from the arguments of the Com- 
mission referred' to, and the reports of our consuls and the 
public documents of the Governments of South and Central 
America, are that we miist pursue an American policy, have 
American shii^s, and look to the trade of these countries as 
legitimately belonging to the American continent. 

L. M. Merkitt, 
President Board of Trade and Exchange. 
Thos. C. Watson, 

Secretary. 
Hon. James G. Blaine, 

Secretary of State, Washington, I). C. 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



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